Katherine Langford as Hannah Baker in 13 Reasons Why, which attempts to explain why a young girl would want to kill herself.
Photograph: Beth Dubber/Netflix

Mental health groups have criticised a new Netflix drama for its “sensationalised” portrayal of a 17-year-old’s suicide, which they say could encourage young people to take their own lives.

The Samaritans, psychiatrists, and mental health campaigners claim 13 Reasons Why could prompt troubled young people to copy the suicide of its central character, Hannah Baker.

“We have a responsibility to protect children and teenagers,” said Dr Helen Rayner, a psychiatrist specialising in children and adolescent mental health who is also a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Psychiatrists. “Dramatic and detailed portrayals of suicide needlessly put vulnerable young people at risk of copycat behaviour as they see how to carry out harmful or potentially fatal acts.

“Graphic depictions of suicide may only influence a small number of viewers, but the consequences can be tragic.”

Ged Flynn, the chief executive of Papyrus, a charity that seeks to prevent suicide among young people, said parents and young people viewing the series should “be aware that when watching this programme there is a danger that suicide is romanticised and sensationalised”.

The US-set series aimed at young people is based on a novel of the same name by Jay Asher. Selena Gomez, the actor and singer, is among its executive producers. Its 13 episodes depict 13 friends of Hannah listening to a tape she made for each of them explaining the difficulties she faced that prompted her to kill herself.

Sarah Hulyer, a mental health campaigner, said the show’s portrayal of Baker’s plight was irresponsible.

“Mental ill-health and suicide isn’t pretty and while we need to admit that, we also have a duty to look out for the wellbeing of our younger generations and not encourage unhealthy behaviours. By graphically depicting the protagonist’s suicide method, they’re not helping vulnerable young people; they’re encouraging them,” said Hulyer.

“[13 Reason’s Why’s] creators claimed they were hoping to ‘help’ people struggling with the issues shown in the show, but it’s a storyline that is about revenge suicide, demonises counsellors and includes none of the characters reaching out for help and receiving it, it’s not clear exactly what they think ‘helping’ is,” she added.

While she acknowledged that the show has helped thousands of young people think about the lasting impact of suicide, Hulyer asked: “Does a show that depicts a young girl who uses her own death to inflict pain upon others really deserve to be put on a pedestal?”

The number of suicides in the UK among 10 to 14-year-olds has risen from four in 2010 to 10 in 2015, and among those aged 15-19 from 166 to 221 over the same period, according to the Office of National Statistics.

The Samaritans said 13 Reasons Why exposed failings in the UK’s media regulation. “It is extremely concerning that a drama series aimed at young audiences can be produced outside of the UK and made available to UK audiences and yet not subject to UK media regulation. This is simply not acceptable and creates a barrier to protecting our young audiences i the UK,” said Lorna Fraser, a Samaritans media adviser.

The show’s writer, Nic Sheff – who has been open about his own suicide attempt – said he wanted to jolt viewers and make them realise how awful suicide is.

“When it came time to discuss the portrayal of the protagonist’s suicide in 13 Reasons Why, I of course imediately flashed on my own experience. It seemed to me the perfect opportunity to show what an actual suicide really looks like – to dispel the myth of the quiet drifting off, and to make viewers face the reality of what happens when you jump from a burning building into something much, much worse,” he wrote in a blog for Vanity Fair.

“It overwhelmingly seems to me that the most irresponsible thing we could’ve done would have been not to show the death at all,” Sheff said.

In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.Papyrus are contactable on 0800 068 41 41 or by texting 07786 209 697 or emailing pat@papyrus-uk.org. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.

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